Adhesive tape applicator

ABSTRACT

THE TAPE APPLICATOR IS PARTICULARLY EASY TO LOAD WITH TAPE BY REMOVING A MAJOR PORTION OF ONE SIDE OF THE UNIT, SO THAT THE TAPE IS DROPPED DIRECTLY INTO PLACE WITH NO THREADING, THE PRESSURE ROLLER AND CUT-OFF BLADE OF THE UNIT BEING MOUNTED IN A NON-REMOVABLE STRUCTURE AND THUS NOT DISTURBED AT ANY TIME; THE TAPE IS READILY ACCESSIBLE TO SIMPLIFY HANDLING AND THE UNIT CAN BE USED TO APPLY TAPE RAPIDLY WITH ONE HAND, THE CUT OFF END OF THE TAPE BEING HELD IN READY POSITION FOR T HE NEXT USE.

1971 c. D. GUEST ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR Filed May 24, 1968 V INVENTOR. CONDIE D. GUEST United States Patent M 3,565,727 ADHESIVE TAPE APPLICATOR Condie D. Guest, 1073 4th Ave., San Diego, Calif. 92101 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 638,400,

May 15, 1967. This application May 24, 1968, Ser. No. 731,988

Int. Cl. B32b 31/18; 1344c 7/02 US. Cl. 156-527 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The tape applicator is particularly easy to load with tape by removing a major portion of one side of the unit, so that the tape is dropped directly into place with no threading, the pressure roller and cut-off blade of the unit being mounted in a non-removable structure and thus not disturbed at any time; the tape is readily accessible to simplify handling and the unit can be used to apply tape rapidly with one hand, the cut off end of the tape being held in ready position for the next use.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION The present disclosure is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 638,400, filed May 15, 1967, entitled Adhesive Tape Applicator now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to tape holding and dispensing means and specifically to an adhesive tape applicator.

Some existing tape dispensers of the type having rollers by which the tape can be pressed in place, are difiicult to load because the tape must be threaded through a specific path and the adhesive causes unwanted sticking and binding. Other types have separable casing portions, usually complementary halves, which simplify insertion of the tape. However, in the latter type, the pressure roller and cut-off blade, if used, are held between the casing halves and are thus loose when the parts are separated. Considerable care must be used when reassembling the unit to ensure that the roller is free to rotate and the blade is securely held. With the typical manufacturing tolerances of the low cost plastic molding used in such dispensers, this is not usually an easy task and the parts may be jammed or broken.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The tape applicator described herein includes the desirable features of various types of units and has a casing in which the pressure roller and cut-off blade are accurately mounted in manufacture and are not disturbed during reloading of the tape. A major portion of one side of the casing is removable to allow the roll of tape to be dropped into place without any threading, the free end of the tape merely being pulled between a pair of retaining fingers to engage the pressure roller. A portion of the tape roll is accessible to the fingers for control during cut-off, if necessary, and provision is made for holding the free end of the tape in ready position for re-use, an end portion of the casing being flat to allow the applicator to stand conveniently on end when not in use. The cutting edge of the blade is inclined to provide a more efiicient slicing action and simplify one-handed use of the unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the tape applicator with a roll of tape installed, portions being cut away to show structural details;

Patented Feb. 23, 1971 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The applicator comprises a casing 10 with a removable cover 12, which may be of molded plastic of similar material. Casing 10 has an enclosed nose portion 14 with sides 16 and a front wall 18, the lower portions of said sides having rearwardly extending arms 20 whose rear ends are turned inwardly to form opposedand spaced apart fingers 22. Front wall 18 is flat to allow the applica tor to stand on that end when not in use, and at the upper end of the front wall the top surface of the nose portion is made slightly concave to provide a finger engaging lip 19 for use in applying pressure. Mounted between arms 20 is a pressure applying means such as a freely rotatable pressure roller 24 on a shaft 26 which is secured at its ends in said arms. Front wall 18 has a recessed socket portion 28 at its lower end to receive a flat plate 29 in which a cut-off blade 30 is embedded, the plate having retaining pins 31 which fit tightly in corresponding holes in the socket portion. The blade 30 has a cutting edge 32 which is inclined to the axis of the roller 24 transversely between side 16. A V-shaped cutting edge is shown, but a straight inclined edge may be used and can be normally sharpened or serrated. At the forward lower corners of sides 16, forward of roller 24 andimmediately below the blade 30, are inwardly projecting retaining fingers 33, on which the free tape end 56 can be stored by mere frictional contact and/or adhesion, as in the broken line in FIG. 1. The adhesion is merely enough to prevent the tape from slipping out and the tape wil break free easily when the applicator is used.

The main body of casing 10, integral with nose portion 14, comprises a side wall 34 with an inward projecting cylindrical hub 36 to hold to a standard roll of tape 38, the periphery of the side wall having an inwardly turned flange 40 to surround the tape roll.

Flange 40"extends for about one half of the total width of the nose portion 14, so that the entire side of the casing rearwardly of the nose portion is open. Cover 12 is complementary to the main body of the casing and has a side wall 42 with an inwardly turned flange 44 matching flange 40, the side wall having an inwardly projecting cylindrical hub 46 which fits slidably into hub 36. The forward end of cover 12 has a reinforcing web 48 extending perpendicularly between the side wall 42 and nose portion 14 has a shoulder 49 on which the web rests to stiffen the structure for gripping during use. The junction of cover 12 with nose portion 14 may be of any convenient configuration, the straight edge arrangement shown being simplest and most easily adaptable to the reinforcing web and shoulder structure.

In the forward portions of side walls 34 and 42 are similar large cut out portions 50 extending from the lower edge of the side walls upwardly and forwardly into nose portion 14, so that a portion of tape roll 38 is exposed. Also, in the lower portions of flanges 40 and 44, rearwardly of cut portions 50, are smaller cut out portions 52, the lower ends of side walls 34 and 42 forming feet 54 which will support the applicator in upright position.

To load the applicator the cover 12 is removed and tape roll 38 is placed on hub 36. The free end 56 of the tape is pulled down and forward between the fingers 22.

Since the adhesive side of the tape is to the rear, the tape will fold and slide easily between the fingers, which is much simpler than threading the tape through a small opening. For storage until use and to simplify handling, the tape end 56 is pulled forward under roller 24 and up between fingers 54, as in the broken line position in FIG. 1. Cover 12 is then replaced, the frictional fit of the hubs 36 and 46 being sufficient to hold the cover in place and the close fit of the forward end of the cover with nose portion 14 ensuring alignment.

To apply the tape, it is simply pressed down by roller 24 on the surface 58 of the article to be taped, as in the broken line position in FIG. 5, and the applicator is pulled along the surface so that the roller presses the tape into place. The feet 54 can slide on the surface 58 and stabilize the applicator if desired. When sulficient tape has been applied the applicator is lifted and tilted forwardly until the blade cutting edge 32 bears on the tape, as in full line in FIG. 5. A sharp rearward motion will then cut the tape, the inclination of the blade edge providing an effective slicing action. By tilting the applicator forward to rest and slide on front wall 18 as the cutting action is completed, the end of the tape is pressed down on the work surface. If the tape is of particularly tough type, such as the reinforced tape used for wrapping, the large cut-out portions .50 allow a finger or thumb to be held against the tape roll 38 to prevent its winding under the pull of the cutting action. After cutting use the tape tends to become adhered to the fingers 54 and remain in stored position. Once installed the tape end does not easily pull back between the fingers 22, since the adhesive side is then against the fingers. This serves to prevent inadvertent displacement of the tape during handling.

The holler and cut-off blade are undisturbed at all times and so retain their proper alignment, and there are no loose parts to content with while loading or unloading the applicator. Loading is very simple and normal use of the applicator requires only one hand. When necessary the blade can be changed by prying out the plate 29 and pressing a new blade unit into place.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. An adhesive tape applicator, comprising:

' a casing having a side wall with an inwardly projecting hub to hold a roll of tape, and an inwardly turned peripheral flange around a major portion of the side wall;

said casing having an integral forward nose portion;

an exposed tape engaging pressure applying means mounted in the lower end of said nose portion; and

a cover having a side wall with an inwardly turned peripheral flange complementary to the portion of said casing rearwardly of said nose portion only, said cover having a hub interfitting with said first mentioned hub and being separately removable, independently of said nose portion and the remaining portions of said casing, to facilitate reloading of the applicator;

said pressure applying means being a freely rotatable roller, and including a cut-off blade fixed in said nose portion forwardly of said roller, the cutting edge of said blade being inclined to the axis of the roller transversely of the nose portion;

said nose portion having rearwardly extending arms, the rear end of said arms having inwardly turned, opposed and spaced apart fingers between which the tape can be pulled to engage said pressure applying means;

said nose portion having inwardly projecting, opposed retaining fingers forwardly of said pressure applying means and below said cut-off blade, to retain the cut end of tape thereon.

2. An adhesive tape applicator, comprising:

a casing having a side wall with an inwardly projecting hub to hold a roll of tape, and an inwardly turned peripheral flange around a major portion of the side wall;

said casing having an integral forward nose portion;

an exposed tape engaging pressure applying means mounted in the lower end of said nose portion; and

a cover having a side wall with an inwardly turned peripheral flange complementary to the portion of said casing rearwardly of said nose portion only, said cover having a tubular hub telescopically interfitting with said first mentioned hub and being separately removable, independently of said nose portion and the remaining portions of said casing, to facilitate reloading of the applicator;

said nose portion having a substantially flat front Wall on which the applicator will stand when not in use, and a tape cutting blade substantially flush mounted in the lower portion of said flat front wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,582,979 .1/1952 Fritzinger 156-523 2,683,547 7/1954 Fischer 156--527 2,722,331 11/1955 Vogt 15'6--527 2,809,761 10/1957 Delbert 156-527 3,132,783 5/1964 Duncan 156-523X 3,187,968 6/1965 Favre 156527X 2,927,710 3/1960 Raber 15652.3X

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner J. M. HANLEY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 156-576 

